Gift ideas · Toddlers
Gifts for toddlers that aren't more noise
Toddlers don't need toys that do things. They need toys they can do things to: push, stack, dump, fill and carry around the house. The best toddler gifts are simple and sturdy, and most of them don't need batteries.
Skip: Toys that light up and talk. They do the playing for the toddler, and they get old fast for everyone in the house.
Remind me beforeor
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To push and move
- 1A push walker with blocksOur pick: Radio Flyer Classic Push Walker WagonSomething to lean on while they figure out walking. Find it
- 2A ride-on toy they scoot with their feetOur pick: Little Tikes Cozy CoupeIt burns off a lot of energy inside. Find it
- 3A soft climbing setOur pick: ECR4Kids SoftZone Crawl and Climb, 6 piecesFoam blocks to climb on, so the couch gets a break. Find it
- 4A toddler slideOur pick: Little Tikes First SlideIndoor in winter, outdoor in summer. Find it
To build and sort
- 1Stacking cupsOur pick: Green Toys Stacking CupsStacking, nesting, the bath and the sandbox, for years. Find it
- 2LEGO DuploOur pick: LEGO DUPLO Brick Box (10913)Big bricks small hands can press together. Find it
- 3A shape sorterOur pick: Fisher-Price Baby's First BlocksIn and out is the whole game at this age. Find it
- 4Wooden knob puzzlesOur pick: Melissa & Doug First Shapes knob puzzleThree to five pieces, and the knobs make it doable. Find it
To pretend and make noise
- 1A set of play foodOur pick: Hape Toddler Fruit BasketThey'll cook you forty meals a day. Find it
- 2A soft baby doll and a blanketOur pick: Manhattan Toy Baby StellaFeeding someone and putting them to bed is the first pretend game. Find it
- 3A toddler instrument setOur pick: Hape Nature Band Rhythm KitShakers, a tambourine and a little drum. Loud, but the good kind. Find it
- 4Lift-the-flap board booksOur pick: Where Is Baby's Belly Button? (Karen Katz)Thick pages they can turn themselves. Find it
What makes these work
- Look for the 0 to 3 warning on the box and skip anything with small parts.
- Pick toys with no single right way to play. A toddler will find ten.
- Rotate. Put half the toys away and swap them every couple of weeks, and old toys feel new.
Find gifts that match how they play
The gifts that get used match how a kid already likes to play. The quiz takes two minutes. No account needed, and adding a name is optional.
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